Have you outgrown your current home?
Knowing when to move is not always as straight forward as one might think. At times, the need for a change is apparent and unavoidable, but other times, it grows over time and may even go unnoticed. Let’s have a look at a few of the biggest indications that it might be time to move house. Growing pains A […]
The current state of the rental market
While restaurants, shopping malls and beaches may look somewhat similar to what they did before the pandemic, nevermind lockdown regulations and social distancing protocols, the real estate rental market has not recovered quite as well as the consumer market. Studies conducted by the TPN Credit Bureau have indicated that, at the start of the hard lockdown of 2020, only half of short-term credit accounts were paid in “current” terms. […]
Considering the rise of sectional title ownership
Sectional titles have become a staple in the real estate industry over the past decades. And with all the benefits that come with it, it makes sense. Heightened security, lower insurance costs on buildings and outdoor areas, shared maintenance costs with other owners, becoming part of a community, no cleaning the pool on Saturday mornings […]
The ins and outs of home insurance
Home insurance is there to protect one of the most important assets you own. And when done properly, it will allow you to insure both the structure of your home and the life that is lived within its four walls. Home insurance can be divided into three sections: Building Insurance, Home Contents Insurance, and Personal Valuables Insurance. The purpose of Building Insurance is to cover only the structure […]
Is it time to downsize?
Property ownership in today’s economy is no small feat. But even when you’ve worked most of your adult life towards buying the family home of your dreams, the possibility of downsizing should never be discounted. Whether you’re looking at lowering the costs of homeownership, or reassessing your property needs once your children have moved out, there are a number of clear indications that it’s time for you to move on to something […]
What tenants need to know to protect their rights
Must my residential lease agreement be in writing? It is currently not a requirement for a residential lease agreement to be in writing – a verbal agreement where the rent and rented property is identified is recognized by South African common law and is just as valid as a written agreement. This may, however, not remain the position for much […]
Find your new home sooner with transparency
Estate agents play a vital role in the efficiency and ease of most real estate transactions. They are guides, advisers, companions, gurus, and partners to buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants alike. The strength of this relationship, however, is built on a foundation of open communication and transparency. When your estate agent is working off of lacklustre information, half-truths and muddled facts, the results […]
Start benefitting from your Homeowners’ Association
Finding the right home is not only about finding an architectural structure that meets your requirements (three bedrooms, sun in the afternoon, a yard for the dogs, access control for the kids, etc.). The search is as much about finding a community you want to become a part of. For many residents, the community that surrounds them is governed by an […]
Fireproofing your home against wildfires
With the recent fire on Table Mountain razing a Cabinet minister’s home as well as the UCT Jagger Library (which housed historic documents and books) and Mostert’s Mill (the oldest surviving windmill in SA), the devastation that a wildfire can cause has been brought to the forefront of many property owners’ attention. This comes just 4 years after the devastating wildfires that spread over Knysna […]
Buying property: Is it better to wait?
The property market has been a more advantageous ground recently than it has been in the past few decades. Especially if you are a millennial, whose news feed keeps you updated on just about everything that goes on in the world, it’s not something that has gone unnoticed. This has brought the question of whether to purchase a house or to go […]